The Character Within My Heart
by RazberryPineapple
Summary: Beth is shy 13-year-old girl who wants to be able to stand up to a bully. She wishes for strength, then suddenly finds a mysterious egg in her bed! Not really related to the story of Amu Hinamori, but she will be mentioned in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1: The Mysterious Egg

**The Character within My Heart**

_All kids hold an egg in their soul. The egg of our_

_Hearts, our would-be selves…_

_Yet…_

_Unseen…_

"Ha ha ha!" Beth giggled at the joke her friend had made, "That's funny!" she and her two friends were standing in the classroom, waiting for the teacher to arrive. Most of the students were already there.

"Oh har har har!!" a mocking laugh sounded behind Beth. She turned and her heart sank when she saw who it was, "That's soooo funny!! A hoi hoi hoi!!!" Rick snorted, mocking Beth's gentle voice.

"Hey! That wasn't nice!" Beth's friend, Yvette, said.

"Oh, I'm soooo sorry! Pweeze forgive me!" Rick clasped his hands together, mocking Yvette's voice this time.

"Why don't you shut up, jerk," Mandy, Beth's other, red-haired friend, said, defending her.

"Hey Beth! Why don't you stand up for yourself for once?" Rick called, ignoring Mandy.

Beth looked away, not sure what to say. Rick continued to jeer at her, but she tuned it out. She didn't want his mean words to hurt her.

Rick had been making fun of her ever since the beginning of the school year. He constantly was there, mocking her, trying to get a reaction from her. She had always tuned him out, convincing herself, _Sticks and bones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me._ She had a happy exterior, but deep down, Rick's words had more impact than he realized.

_I just don't understand why he's so mean to me,_ Beth thought every day. He pulled her mousey brown hair, he mocked her laughter; he bullied her endlessly. She told the teacher once before, but instead of stopping, he just bullied her when no adults were around. She feared the times when they were in the same room. Once, he was being really mean, mean enough to make her cry in front of everyone. He hadn't even apologized, just laughed and walked away. He called her a flat-chested baby "who can't even muster up the courage to stand up for herself".

Beth's friends defended her and comforted her whenever Rick was mean, but their sympathy didn't make it any better. Beth still felt sad when Rick called her names.

"Alright, class! Please take your seats!" the teacher walked into the room. The students did as they were told. The teacher began to take attendance, but Beth didn't pay attention. She was trying as hard as she could to not look at Rick, who was making faces at her.

Beth felt something hit her in the head. The thing – a balled-up piece of paper - bounced off and landed on her desk. Curious, she un-crumpled it and read the words scrawled on it.

You should start to fight back, baby. I might just start picking on your friends instead.

She didn't even have to wonder who wrote the mean note. Whirling around, she spat, "Don't you touch my friends! You're such a jerk!"

Beth snapped out of her fantasy. _Yeah right. If I said something like that in the middle of class, I'd probably get detention. I'm such an idiot, _she scolded herself.

xXx

"Ack!" Beth cried out in frustration. She threw her sketch pad across her bedroom angrily. Slumping down, she mumbled, "I can't draw anything good when I'm mad," Normally drawing made her feel better, but today it just made her feel more like she couldn't do anything right. She folded her arms under her head, resting her chin on them. She thought back on the things Rick had said to her and almost started to cry. _Why?!_ She choked back a sob. _Why is he so damn mean?! And only to me, too!_ She pushed back her chair and walked to her bed. She sat down on it gingerly and hid her face in her hands. The sorrow that was welling up inside her heart was almost too much to bear. A few small tears dripped down her cheeks and off her chin. She rolled onto her pillow and burrowed her face into it, using it to muffle her sobs.

After a few minutes, Beth wiped away the last of the tears and sat back up. She rubbed her eyes; crying always made her sleepy. Looking around at her room with blurry eyes, she sat there, completely silent. She remembered her fantasy from during the school day, the one where she finally took a stand against Rick's cruelty. She heaved a sigh. _There's no way I'd be able to do that kind of thing. I'm too timid._

Beth walked over to her window and slid it open, crawling out onto the roof. Hugging her knees to her chest, she stared up at the night sky. She didn't live near the city, and there weren't many streetlights on her block, so she could clearly make out the stars. Thoughts wandered around her head, though she never settled on one in particular.

She shivered. Though it was warm during the day, it got quite cold at night. Giving one last look up at the stars, Beth saw a streak of light arc across the sky. She gasped. _A shooting star!_ Clasping her hands together, she closed her eyes and wished.

_I wish…I wish I could have the confidence to stand up for myself…so I can be reborn…as the person I want to be…_

xXx

Beth yawned. She stretched her arms upwards, eyes still blurry with sleep. She hopped out of bed and got ready for the day.

Skipping downstairs, Beth walked into the kitchen to find it empty.

"Huh? Dad?" she called. No answer. Upon further examination, she found a slip of paper on the kitchen table.

**BETH **

**WENT OUT TO GET GROCERIES. **

**YOU'LL NEED TO WALK TO SCHOOL TODAY.**

**-DAD**

Beth smiled. Her father was always so responsible about food. He was so overprotective – always wanting to make sure that all of Beth's needs were met. Beth didn't mind him being like that, though. Her mother had died when she was very young, so her father's protection was all she had ever known.

Setting the note back on the table, Beth grabbed herself an apple and walked out the door. But five blocks later, she had to turn around, realizing that she had forgotten one of her school books. Sprinting the whole way back, she hurriedly unlocked the front door and dashed up the stairs. Glancing around her room, she spotted the book on her desk. She grabbed it and was about to leave, but there was a small rustle behind her.

"Eh?" Beth looked at the room. Nothing moved. She shivered, "M-musta been my imagination…" she desperately wanted to leave, but something held her there, rooting her to the spot. As she stood there, there was another small rustle. Beth nearly jumped out of her skin. She grabbed one of her manga books off her desk and held it up, wielding it like a weapon. Slowly, she stepped towards her bed, the place where the noise had come from. There was an irregular lump under her blankets.

Fearfully, Beth clenched the edge of her bed sheet and ripped it off. "HIYAAAaaa…aahh…" she trailed off. Sitting on her bed was an egg. "Wha…!?" The egg was a deep purple and had flowers with strange spiky looking petals around the middle. Moving at a snail's pace, the brunette girl crawled onto the bed and reached towards the strange egg. Extending one finger, she poked it gently. "Huh? It's warm…?" she took the egg into her hands, "Does that mean something…_alive_ could be inside?" the egg shifted in her hand a little, "Gah! It _is _alive!" the egg dropped from her hands and back onto the bed.

_Wha…_

_WHAT AM I GOING TO DO!?!?!_

xXx

_Oh, God, I really don't understand what's going on. _Beth walked into school totally confused. _Humans don't lay eggs! That's chickens! Unless… _Beth's eyes widened, _Am I some sort of chicken girl?!_ She clenched her head, _Stop, stop, stop! You're being ridiculous! I'm completely human!_

Beth reached her classroom and sat in her desk. Neither Yvette nor Mandy was there yet, so she had to sit alone. Sighing, she thought, _something really strange is going on here… _She pulled her bag onto her lap and, making sure no one was watching, pulled the egg out. She stared at it, willing it to give her answers.

_C'mon you stupid egg, _she commanded in her mind, _tell me what you are._ When she got no response, she let out a little moan. Sighing, she tucked the egg back into her bag and placed it on the floor.

"Heh heh heh…" Beth shuddered when she heard Rick's laugh behind her, "Well, whadda we got here? I guess your friends aren't around, huh?" Rick stepped around her desk to face her, "I guess that means the little baby has no protection!"

"Leave me alone…" Beth whispered, not looking up.

Rick cackled, "She can't even talk loud enough!" he leaned in closer, coming inches from her face. She shrank back a bit, "Well, flat-chest, did you take your weekly shower yet?" He pinched Beth's nose, making her flinch, "'Cause you really smell,"

"Stop it…"

"No way," Rick smirked, "It really pleases me to see you squirm," he backed away and laughed.

Beth had another fantasy, this time of her punching him in the stomach. "_That's what you deserve, ya' big jerk!" _She imagined herself finally standing up for herself, and being able to fight back. _I that's what I want to say, but I'll never be able to do that. He just scares me too much…_

"_Then change your character!"_ a voice cried out from inside her head. Beth gasped.

_C-change my character?_

"_That's right! Go from a girl who's too timid to stand up for herself, to a girl who's strong and not afraid to speak her mind! Chara changei!"_

_Chara changei? Isn't that Japanese for…?_

"_CHARACTER CHANGE!!"_

Before Beth knew what was happening, her normal daisy hairclip's petals changed from white to purple and the petals became strange and spiky. With a sudden burst of energy, she leapt up from her chair.

"Stop! Just STOP!!" she cried out, "I really don't appreciate you being a jerk all the time, so why don't you just back off?!" she whipped out her hand, pointing at Rick angrily.

"B-Beth…" a bead of sweat dropped down Rick's cheek.

"NO! SHUT UP!!" Beth screamed, completely furious. "JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!!"

"Okay okay!" Rick waved his hands frantically, "I will! I will! I'll stop being mean!"

"Humph," Beth folded her arms across her chest, frowning slightly, "Good," then, in a split second, all the energy and anger that had been rushing through her disappeared. Her hair clip returned to normal, and she was left feeling stunned and confused.

_What the heck just happened?!_


	2. Chapter 2: The Egg Hatches!

**The Character within My Heart**

_All kids hold an egg in their soul. The egg of our_

_Hearts, our would-be selves…_

_Yet…_

_Unseen…_

Beth fidgeted the whole day, anxious to be home and see what had happened with the egg. Somehow, she knew that the egg was connected to her sudden turnabout in class. The only real thing that happened was that Mandy rushed into class right before the bell, looking very worried. Beth had asked what was wrong, but Mandy had avoided really answering her. When she finally did get home, she immediately ran up to her room.

"Huh? Beth, is that you?" her father called from the kitchen.

"Uh-sorry-i-have-a-lot-of-homework-so-ill-just-go-do-it-now-okay-bye!!" Beth said hurriedly. She skipped every other step on her way to her bedroom. When she did reach the privacy of her own room, she immediately ripped open her bag and grabbed the egg from inside it.

"WHAT IS THIS THING?!?!?!" Beth screamed, panic rushing through her veins. "I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S GOING ON!!!!! WHAT ARE YOU???? _WHO _ARE YOU???? WHAT DO YOU WANT WITH MEEEEE?????!!" She shook the egg back and forth wildly, a small clinking noise coming from inside it.

"Jeeze, no need to be so rough!" a voice spoke from inside the egg.

"What?" Beth was stunned. _The egg…it spoke!_

The egg drifted out of her hands and floated in front of her. Then, a crack suddenly appeared around the center. It split open, revealing a small, doll-like creature that floated like a fairy.

"Talk about overreacting!" The small creature said, her voice slightly raspy. She wore black trooper boots with black, lacey stockings that disappeared under a red and black pleated skirt. Her deep purple shirt was torn in a stylish manner, and on her hands she wore black fingerless gloves that were fringed with scarlet, reaching up to her elbows. The creature's face was confident, a smirk on her lips, small freckles dotting her cheeks. Her thick, coffee-colored hair was slightly messy, and its spiky ends were dyed red. On her head she wore a purple flower hairclip, matching the design on her egg. Floating there in front of Beth, she guessed that the creature was about four and a half inches tall.

And the creature's eyes…They were a strange plum color, tinged with flecks of crimson. They mirrored Beth's own eyes. When the two's eyes locked, the creature's softened for a moment, but then she looked away.

"Stop gawking! Kimiha jitsuni bakadana!" she said, voice slightly joking.

"D-did you just call me an idiot…?" Beth said, shocked.

_(A/N: The Japanese phrase "Kimiha jitsuni bakadana" roughly translates to "You really are an idiot")_

"Don't take it so literally!" The creature turned back to her, smiling brightly, "I was only joking, Beth-chan!"

The girl snapped out of her surprise. "W-what exactly are you? Why are you here?" she questioned.

"I think that much should be obvious by now," the creature put her hands on her hips, grinning. "The name's Roxanne. I'm the one who was born from your wish!"

"M-my wish?"

"What was it again?" the creature called Roxanne paused for a moment, "Oh yes!" she switched into Beth's voice, imitating it perfectly, _"'I wish…I wish I could have the confidence to stand up for myself…so I can be reborn…as the person I want to be…'"_

"Hey! Don't do that!" Beth exclaimed, embarrassed.

"Gomenesai," Roxanne's cheeks were tinged pink, and she smiled guiltily, "I know you're sensitive about that kind of thing,"

_(A/N: "Gomenesai" is a phrase which means "I'm sorry" or "forgive me". "Sumimasen" can also be used)_

"Huh?" Beth gasped, "How would you know that?"

"Simple! You gave birth to me, so I am part of your heart; _kokoro,"_

"What!!" Beth's eyes widened, "So I did give birth to you! I really am a chicken girl!!!"

"Calm down, calm down!" Roxanne soothed the panicked girl, "You didn't literally give birth to me, so to speak," she explained while Beth listened, completely captivated, "I was born from your heart. You wished that you could stand up to Rick. So when you wished for strength, you're heart created me, the self that you want to be_._"

"R-really?"

"Right."

Beth was uncertain, "Are you sure that I'm not just whack in the head and you're a figment of my imagination…?"

"I'm real!" Roxanne said, slightly offended, "Look!" she floated over to Beth and flew around her head, tugging at loose strands of her hair. She brushed Beth's cheeks with her hands when she passed, proving that she was solid and real. Then she drifted in front of the girl, who cradled her in her hands. "Is that enough proof for ya?"

"Uh…yeah…" Beth mumbled, stunned. _This is like something out of one of the manga books I read! _She thought excitedly, _this has to be magic!_

"I'm completely real," Roxanne said gently, almost lovingly, "I'm as real as your heart is," then her eyes darkened, "but… if your heart doesn't believe in me…I'll disappear,"

Beth gasped, "Disappear?! But there's no way! I can see you; I can touch you…Why would I not believe in you?"

"_You_ may believe, but if the self you want to be is uncertain, then I'll go back into your heart. I'll fall asleep again,"

There was silence while Beth let Roxanne's words sink in. Then, she shouted out, suddenly very energetic, "Don't you worry, Roxanne! I won't stop believing! I'll make sure you're always here!"

A bead of sweat dropped down Roxanne's tiny face, "Wow. You sure are different when that mean kid isn't around…"

"Beth! Dinner!" Beth's father called from downstairs.

"C-coming!" she called back, "Uh, what should I do with you?" she glanced around the room, searching for a place to hide the doll-like creature.

"There's no reason to hide me!" Roxanne jumped out of Beth's hands and flew out of the crack between the door and the doorframe. "Watch!"

"Hey!! Wait!" Beth hurried out of her room, chasing after Roxanne. Frantically, she grabbed at her, "You can't! Dad'll see you!" Roxanne glanced at her for a moment, and then winked slyly. She went around the corner, right into the kitchen, where Beth's father was.

_Crap! If Dad sees her, he'll freak!_ Peeking around the corner, Beth saw what was going on in the kitchen. Her father was spooning soup into two bowls while the coffee-haired fairy floated around him, making faces. "Urk! Roxanne…! Don't!" Beth hissed. Roxanne looked over and smiled, not even worried at all. She then continued to make faces at Beth's father. He didn't even look up.

_Oh,_ Beth realized, _he can't see her!_

Beth's father looked up at her, "Beth? Why are you peeking around that corner at me?"

Beth stiffened, "Uh…No reason…" _Dang it. I'm not sneaky at all…_

Beth's father smiled. "Well stop hiding. It's time to eat,"

xXx

Unknown to Beth, her father, and Roxanne, there was a figure watching them on the street. They observed Beth and Roxanne very closely.

"Has it happened?" Another figure, the same size as Roxanne, said. It floated by the taller figure's head.

"Hm. Yes," the taller figure turned to the smaller. "We don't have to worry any longer," the figure pushed back their hood, pinkish-red hair spilling out.

"Let's go then! I'm sleepy!" the smaller figure started to fly away, but the taller paused. They looked back to Beth's window, double-checking to see if everything really was alright. Beth was smiling and laughing at her father's joke, while Roxanne smiled along with her. Reassured, the figure turned away and walked into the night.

**Okay! Second chapter is up!! Hooray!!**

**Sorry I didn't write anything below on the first chapter *sweat drop*. Yeah, I'm kinda forgetful. If you've been wondering, yes, the setting is America, but I won't tell you what city 'cause it's a secret! *evil laugh* The whole "Rick" thing is actually based off personal experience. The real Rick is mean to everyone though, and he never really centered any attacks on me or made me cry. He's just a moron who thinks he's really cool. **

**Questions? Concerns? Just write me a review!! I love criticism!!**


	3. Chapter 3: Get Off Me!

**Hey y'all!! How's every1 doing?**

**I've just finished typing the new chapter for this, so I decided to post ASAP! Hope you enjoy! Big thanks to strawberriebubbles and an anonymous person for reviewing!! Also, shout out to the people who read and don't review! You know who you are!! **

**The Character Within My Heart**

_All kids hold an egg in their soul. The egg of our_

_heart…Our would-be selves…_

_Yet…_

_Unseen…_

After a few days, Beth was used to Roxanne's presence. She had worried about bringing her to school, but Roxanne that had reassured her that the other kids couldn't see her, because they didn't have "Heart's Characters", as she liked to call them. The week had ended with nothing major happening, and Beth was especially glad that Rick hadn't said anything to her all week.

"Aahh…" Beth sighed as she slid into the hot bath water. The steam filled the bathroom, fogging the windows. Smiling to herself, she closed her eyes, relaxing in the warm water. Roxanne floated past her, riding a rubber duck. She held a toothbrush in her hand, using it like an oar. She slid across the water like she was in a gondola. The brunette opened one eye to watch Roxanne. "That better not be _my _toothbrush."

Roxanne jumped at the sound of Beth's voice, "Of course not! I found it in an unopened pack. There were three, so I thought, why not, you know?"

Beth closed her open eye. "Whatever. I was just checking," the two sat in silence for the longest time, relaxing in the steamy room. "I wonder where Mandy and Yvette were these past two days," she murmured, thinking out loud.

"Probably sick or something," Roxanne said, not looking up from her project; plucking all the bristles out of the toothbrush.

"Yeah, I can see that being Mandy, but Yvette is so careful. She rarely gets sick, and even when she is, she usually forces herself to go to school. I remember she had the flu once. It was really bad; she was throwing up every chance she had. But she still wanted to go to school!" Beth giggled at the memory.

Roxanne glanced up from her work. "Sounds like she had it pretty bad," she said sympathetically.

"Yeah…" Beth trailed off. "But why would Mandy be gone all week? She takes sick days occasionally, but she's never gone more than three days in a row,"

Silence reigned in the bath. Neither girls spoke, but it wasn't an uncomfortable silence. They were just both lost in their own thoughts.

After about an hour of soaking, Beth stood and wrapped herself in a warm towel, rubbing herself dry. She unplugged the bath, letting the water drain. Roxanne remained on the duck, riding it down to the drain like she was in a water park. She put her wet hair in a ponytail and pushed back her bangs with a headband. She was about to turn and retrieve Roxanne from the bath, but there was a tap at her window.

"Huh?" she walked over to the window curiously. She rubbed away the steam, but nothing was there. Still curious, she unlatched the window and pushed it open, cold air rushing into the bathroom. She looked out into the night. Nothing was there. "I must be hearing things…" she said uncertainly. Then, without warning, a tanned face swung down from above, stopping just before bonking noses with Beth.

"Boo," the black-haired boy said.

"AAAIIEEE!!!" Beth screamed, backing away and slipping in a puddle of water. She fell to the tiled floor with a thud.

"A little jumpy, now aren't we?" the boy teased, smiling. He jumped through the window nimbly, light as a feather.

"Wh-Who are you?!" Beth stuttered nervously. Her cheeks were on fire, and she held the towel close to her body, trying to make sure that the strange boy didn't see anything she didn't want him to see. She pressed her back against the cold wall, wanting to be as far away from the visitor.

"You're Beth, right?" the boy asked, ignoring her question.

"Beth? Are you alright?" there were heavy footsteps on the stairs as Beth's father traveled up them. Beth and the boy both looked at the door nervously. "I heard you scream. Is everything alright?"

"I-I'm fine, dad! I just…slipped and fell! I'll be okay!" Beth said, flustered, "Just go back downstairs and…go back to whatever you were doing!"

The steps paused, "Are you sure?"

"Y-yes! I'm okay!" Beth said quickly. Both she and the boy breathed a sigh of relief when the steps retreated.

"I guess I'm at the right house then," the boy said.

"How did you know this was my house?" Beth asked, still shaking a little.

"We know lots of stuff about you, thanks to Mandy and Yvette," the boy said casually.

"'We'?"

"Hey, Yuma," a small figure popped up from behind the boy's shoulder. His face was also framed in black. "Iain said we just needed to double-check for Mandy. Can we go now?"

"Heart's Character!" Roxanne appeared from inside the now-empty bath, pointing at the black-haired character.

"I guess that clears that matter up," the boy, Yuma, said. He turned back to Beth, who tensed when his eyes locked with hers. She sat, mesmerized by his unflinching gaze.

"Your eyes…" he whispered. Then, he rushed forward, kneeling down and grabbing Beth's chin. She was taken by surprise, and didn't shrink away from him. He stared into her eyes, and she stared back, unable to move. She blushed even deeper when she realized how close he was.

"H-hey… back off…" she mumbled, grabbing at her towel.

Nearby, a similar situation was unfolding. Roxanne confronted Yuma's character. "Hey! Who do you think you are, just barging in like that?!" the character didn't respond. He simply floated around her, taking notes on a small pad of paper. "Hey! What're you writing? Give me that!!" she swiped at the pad, aiming to rip it out of the character's hands, but he dodged her easily, jumping above her and landing on her head. Roxanne cursed at him, trying to pull him down, but he just sat down and continued writing on top of her head. He reached down and examined a strand of her hair, scribbling in the note bad furiously. He turned to take a look at her bangs, but as soon as he reached his hand down, Roxanne pulled on it and bit down hard.

"Ow! Let go!" the character cried out in pain. Roxanne bit down harder.

"I said…back off…y-you pervert…" Beth mumbled again, but Yuma did not back away. In fact, it seemed like he pressed in closer, trapping her against the wall.

"Your eyes…" Yuma said, almost to himself, "They're just like Yvette said, only…" he came even closer. In an act of defiance, Beth closed her eyes.

"Get off me, you pervert," she said, more forcefully. _Help, Roxanne. Character Change with me, _Beth thought.

Roxanne turned towards her owner, realizing what was going on. "Beth!" she exclaimed, releasing the other character's hand. Immediately, the spiky-petal flower appeared in Beth's hair with a _pon!_

Beth snapped her eyes open, energy flowing through her. She put her hands on Yuma's chest and shoved, pushing him away.

"Hey!" he was caught off guard, and he fell to the floor.

Beth didn't hesitate. She grabbed the nearest object, a hairbrush, and held it up like a bat, preparing to beat the crap out of the uninvited visitor. But as she swung down, Yuma caught the brush and pulled down, taking Beth with it. As she fell, he rose. Before she knew it, she was on the floor, with the black-haired boy above her, pinning her to the ground. The shock on Yuma's face mirrored her own shock, but she gathered her wits quickly. "Get off, you perv!" she squirmed under his grip, trying to free herself. His expression had not changed. "Hey! Did 'ya hear me?! I said–" but she was cut off. Yuma had suddenly leaned down and pressed his lips against hers. Her eyes widened in astonishment. The flower hair clip disappeared, Roxanne's energy going with it.

"Yuma," the un-named character floated over to his owner. Yuma pulled away from Beth sharply, as if he just realized what he was doing. In one sweeping movement, he let go of Beth's wrists and jumped out the window. He vanished into the night, leaving no trace.

Beth lay on the tile floor, unmoving. She was still in shock. "Beth! Beth! Daijoubu?!" Roxanne said nervously, patting the brunette girl with a tiny hand. "Oh, no. This isn't good…"

_(A/N: "Daijoubu desuka" is a way to say "are you okay?" in Japanese. Just saying "Daijoubu" is usually used when speaking to a friend)_

Beth lay with her eyes open, staring at the ceiling. She knew Roxanne was speaking to her, but the words sounded muffled and far away. Her lips still tingled with the warmth of Yuma's lips against them.

"Beth! Beth! Wake up!!" the coffee-haired character waved her hands in front of Beth's eyes. She didn't blink.

"That guy…" Beth breathed. Then, with sudden realization, she sat bolt upright, hands on her mouth. "That guy kissed me!!" her cheeks were on fire once again.

**Raz: Oh, dear. Things are getting quite intense.**

**Amu: Isn't this a bit similar to what happened when I met Ikuto? **

**Raz: Uhh… no it's not….*casually pushes Amu out of sight* anyways! I hope you all enjoyed this new chapter! If you're wondering, Yuma is a Native-American name. I think it means "son of a chief", but I'm not sure. I love getting reviews, so I beg you to write me one. I was at a bit of a writer's block on this one, but I pushed through. I do it all for you!!**

**Until next time!**


	4. Chapter 4: Yvette's House

**The Character within My Heart**

_All kids hold an egg in their soul. The egg of our_

_Hearts, our would-be selves…_

_Yet…_

_Unseen…_

Ch. 4

"KYAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!!" Beth rolled across the floor of her bedroom, cheeks burning. She was tired, shocked, and embarrassed. She had tried to convince herself that she had fallen asleep in the bath and had an overly-realistic dream. But she had still tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep because of the knot in her stomach and the burn of her red cheeks.

"P-please calm down, Beth," Roxanne pleaded. "It's really not that big of a deal,"

"Yes it is!!!" Beth cried out, sitting up to glare at her Heart's Character. "This is a VERY big deal!!!" she crumpled back onto the floor, holding her head in her hands. "That guy stole my innocence…!"

Roxanne snickered, "Stole your innocence…" she smirked.

"You know I'm not talking about virginity, Roxanne!!" she yelled. She pointed at her lips. "I'm talking about my first kiss!!!" she slumped down again, shaking her head wildly. "I really can't believe this!! That guy~!!" she stopped shaking her head back and forth, a worried look on her face. "Who was he anyways? Just when I was getting used to things," her eyebrows pulled together, and tears trembled in the corners of her eyes. She squeezed her eyes shut to prevent the tears from falling. "things just get even _more_ confusing!!"

"Shhh," Roxanne floated down from her perch on the desk to comfort Beth, "Don't worry. It's going to be okay,"

Beth trembled for a minute longer, and then looked up at her Heart's Character. "Are Heart's Characters really that common?"

"Not really," her character replied, "Usually, people's eggs remain dormant. But if someone's wish is strong enough," Roxanne smiled at the brunette, "their egg hatches, and a Heart's Character comes out of it,"

"Hm," Beth looked away, deep in thought. _Someone's wish….So does that mean…That Yuma guy has a wish too? And everyone else with Heart's Characters? But then…._ Beth looked off, not meeting eyes with Roxanne. _What was Yuma's wish?_

xXx

"I'm off!" Beth called over her shoulder, one foot out the door.

"Text me when you get there, 'kay?" her father's voice echoed from the kitchen.

"Yeah, yeah," Beth closed the door behind her, squinting in the sunlight. Smiling broadly, she inhaled deeply, enjoying the sun warming her skin.

"Ready to go?" Roxanne floated up behind her.

"Yup!" Beth responded cheerily. The two of them set off, a newfound spring in Beth's step.

"You're awfully peppy this morning," Roxanne remarked, "given the fact that five minutes ago you were close to tears."

"I like the sun, okay?" Beth said, not faltering a bit. It was true; whenever the sun peeked out from the clouds, she felt twenty times better. It was almost like she was solar-powered, gathering more charge when the sun was out.

Grinning ear to ear, Beth skipped down the sidewalk, on her way to Yvette's house. She had resolved to check on her, since she hadn't responded to any of her texts or answered any of her calls. Roxanne hesitated at the door when the two of them reached her house

"Hm?" Beth turned to face her. "What's wrong?"

Roxanne shook her head. "It's nothing."

"If you say so…" Beth turned back to Yvette's door. She knocked with the back of her hand, calling, "Hellloooo~! Guess who's here!" she opened the door, not bothering to wait for someone to answer. Stepping inside, she called out again. "Hello? Yvette? You home??" No response. Frowning, Beth put her hands on her hips and huffed. "Where is she?" Off she went, exploring the house in search of her friend, not even bothering to notice that Roxanne was still floating at the door, looking a bit uneasy.

_What's this feeling?_ Roxanne wondered. Something was stirring inside her, responding to the house, or something inside it. She chewed her bottom lip, trying to figure it out.

"Yveeeette!!" Beth called up the stairs. She trotted up them, still calling. "Come out, come out where ever you are!!" she rounded the corner into a hall and walked down to the last door, a determined look on her face. She grabbed a hold of the door handle, not hesitating. "Hey! Why don't you answer–" Beth choked on her words.

It was Yuma.

Beth's jaw dropped. "Y-YOU!!" her face was aflame. Her heart pounded and her brain was working overtime. Her eyes raked across the room, her eyes going even wider when she saw a small fairy-like creature floating near Yvette's shoulder. "B-bah! He-! You-! What-?!" she pointed wildly, switching from Yuma, Yvette, and the character at her shoulder. She babbled on and on, while the two of them sat watching calmly. Finally, she shook her head and managed to blurt, "What the hell are YOU doing here?!"

Yuma stood from his seat in the green chair that took up one corner of Yvette's room. He crossed his arms, looking her up and down. Beth's cheeks burned when she noticed his eyes pause at her chest.

"You perv!" she balled up her fists at her sides, anger rushing through her, even without Roxanne's help. "You're the one who kissed me!!" she walked right up to him, fuming. She raised her hand, ready to slap him, but his hand caught hers before she even had a chance to swing.

"I don't think that's necessary," he said calmly, voice low.

"So you two have already met?" Yvette stood and walked towards them, oblivious to the current situation.

"H-hhow can you be so calm?! This asshole jumps through my window, pins me down and kisses me AND YOU ACT LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED?!?!?!" Beth cried, tearing her arm away from Yuma.

Yvette looked stunned. Beth only swore when she was extremely upset; Yvette knew that. Her eyes glimmered, and she closed them, holding back the tears. The unnamed Heart's Character floated next to her and, almost immediately, a broken heart charm on a thin silver chain appeared on her neck. Her eyes snapped open, and she shouted, "I'M NOT ACTING LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED!! I WAS JUST ASKING!!"

Beth took a step back, the anger rushing out of her, replaced by worry. _Yvette never acted like this before…_

Yuma sighed. "Get a hold of yourself, Yvette." Just that small murmur caused the fair-haired girl to shut up. The necklace disappeared, and the Heart's Character by her shoulder crossed her arms, looking annoyed.

Yvette's thin eyebrows knitted together. "I'm so sorry, Beth! Please forgive me!" she buried her face in her hands guiltily.

"Uh," Beth wasn't entirely sure what had just happened. "I-It's okay."

"Oh!" Yvette let out a gasp when the fairy-like creature tugged a strand of her hair irritatedly. "I'm sorry!" She held out her hands, the character cradled in her hands. The character looked a lot like her; shiny blond hair and big blue eyes. But while Yvette wore things like cutesie polka-dot skirts and short-sleeved with white sweaters with very light makeup, Sam wore a black, gothic Lolita dress, all black lace and black ribbons. Dark eyeliner rimmed her eyes, and her lips were shiny pink. "This is Sam, my Guardian Character."

"Who?"

"My Guardian Character," Yvette tilted her head to one side, looking over at Yuma expectantly. "I thought you said…"

"No, no! I can see her!" Beth waved her hands. "I just…I didn't know that you had one."

"Of course you didn't!" she smiled brightly, her tone of voice like she was talking to a child. "People who don't have Guardian Characters can't see them. They're practically invisible!" then her smile dimmed to a confused frown. "Where's yours?"

"Uh, good question," Beth glanced around nervously. "I was sure she followed me in." As if on cue, Roxanne flew into the room, eyes wide with curiosity. "There you are!"

"Huh?" Roxanne looked up at her owner, then at the others in the room. She jumped when she saw the character floating at Yuma's shoulder. "YOU!!" she lunged at the studious-looking character, who dodged her calmly, not lifting his eyes from the notepad in his hands.

Yvette giggled. "She's yours?"

"Y-yeah," Beth mumbled, while she tried to catch Roxanne to prevent her from harassing Yuma's character any further.

"Her name?" Yvette asked. It was a sort of habit of hers; she always wanted to know a person's name when she met them.

"Roxanne," Beth said, after she had managed to contain her coffee-haired friend. "Don't bully him, okay?!" she scolded.

"Get back here, you ass!" Roxanne struggled against Beth's hands, though it was clear that she would never be able to pry apart her fingers, given the immense size difference. "Get back here and fight me!!" she shouted. Yuma's character simply turned his back on her, enraging her even more. She wriggled furiously.

"Quite the handful, is she?" Yvette remarked, a small smile playing on her lips.

"You have NO idea."

xXx

Well, that's it for now. I'm sorry to leave it hanging like this, but I'm leaving for spring break soon (California, here I come!), so I can't work on this for a while. On top of it, I came to a bit of a writer's block on this chapter, so I'm not sure on how to continue. I mean, I know what I want to happen next, I just don't know how to put it into words. You know what I mean?

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, cuz it might be all you see from me for a while. Review please!


	5. CANCELED!

Sorry guys, but this isn't going to work out. Check my page for further explination

The Character Within My Heart is CANCELED.


End file.
